Upper Peninsula Veterinary Service & ThunderPaws Boarding

Upper Peninsula Veterinary Service & ThunderPaws Boarding Upper Peninsula Veterinary Service is a mixed animal veterinary service, providing routine and emergency care with ThunderPaws boarding service on site

In just 5mo... we'll have green vs white!Do you want guaranteed locally grown produce on a weekly basis but frequently c...
01/06/2026

In just 5mo... we'll have green vs white!

Do you want guaranteed locally grown produce on a weekly basis but frequently can't make it to Farmers' markets?
Sign up for a Rusty Belle Farm, Belle Bundle!
☆We currently have 2 slots available for the 2026 season.☆

Belle Bundles are our version of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)... with a modification.

What exactly is a 'modified' CSA? True community supported agriculture (CSA) agreements are 100% risk on the consumer. If the garden fails to give, you're just out; No produce, no refund... nothing. Our modified CSAs are based on past performance--pre-orders, what we've taken to farmers' market, etc. Shannon & I have done our best to not over extended our expectations--nobody needs disappointment & we certainly don't need the stress of not being able to fulfill our promises.

Belle Bundles are a combination of eggs & current 'in season' produce. As we progress into the growing season, you'll have the option to go from your weekly dozen eggs to egg-light or egg-less and replace with more produce.

Our season will again be 15 weeks, with our hopeful starting pick up date of Monday, June 1st.
Pick up location is Upper Peninsula Veterinary Service & ThunderPaws Boarding in Cooks.

☆Because slots are limited we're asking for commitment by deposit--Half ($112.50) due by cash, check or venmo. The season's balance will be due on your first pick up in June.

If you have specific questions, pls drop me a private message on the farm page.

Charlie says, 'MERRY CHRISTMAS' from all of us!!
12/25/2025

Charlie says, 'MERRY CHRISTMAS' from all of us!!

I frequently use our misfortunate or uncomfortable situations at Rusty Belle Farm or Upper Peninsula Veterinary Service ...
12/23/2025

I frequently use our misfortunate or uncomfortable situations at Rusty Belle Farm or Upper Peninsula Veterinary Service & ThunderPaws Boarding as an opportunity for education...

Last week Friday, I received an email from the Michigan Department of Agriculture--one of those that makes your guts twist as you read it. An ANONYMOUS complaint had been sent to them, claiming we were driving around the state selling beef out of our truck (see attached).
When in reality, I had stopped at a gas station to divvy out my parents' portion, which was heading south with the boys. I posted on Facebook a picture of my truck packed full of meat, reminding people with preorders I was en route to the office for pick ups as planned.

The complaint was unfounded. After a short conversation with MDARD this morning, what I did was completely LEGAL.
1). Live animals were delivered to processor.
2). All beef was accounted for on pre-orders.
3). It was picked up from processor and I had a prearranged meeting time & location for everyone to get theirs.
4). I NEVER sold beef to the public from my truck.
5). NONE of the beef was housed in our personal freezer for sale at a later date.

Unfortunately, MDARD has no way to follow up and tell them their accusations were spurious. On their end, no further action needed. But this accusation feels personal--vindictive. Not only did the complaint target my farm but also made reference to my integrity as a veterinarian. That as a vet, I was knowingly breaking the law.

I found a small amount of solace today when a friend pointed out: instead of owing an unjustified allegation it was easier for them to hide behind 'anonymous'... just in case.

If I'm still losing sleep over something that happened days ago... it usually means I need to write it out...After nearl...
12/02/2025

If I'm still losing sleep over something that happened days ago... it usually means I need to write it out...

After nearly 20y in this profession & 6y of owning my own business, far too often, I have to ask myself: which battles will help win the war?

Yesterday, 10 letters for past due accounts went out. I have been emailing the the account holder every 15 days with no response.
5 of them had service more than 90 days ago and now owe for initial and several months of finance fees. This is the final notice before certified letters and small claims--for which their will be more fees & time expended.

And the other 5 squandered my time. 3 requested appointments, knowing our scheduling policy, and still didn't show. Two were 9a appointments. One was a 2 pet annual visit. Not one of them called to apologize for missing their scheduled time. That missed appointment is time wasted. Wasted on going through the schedule finding time that works for THEIR life. Wasted on putting info in the system as a new client. Wasted on waiting, especially if there happened to be a same day emergency needing to be seen. Wasted...

The others... they all called outside of regular business hours and asked for time out of my personal life. They listened to the first voicemail about after-hours calls. They then choose to call through on the emergency only line. They again listening to the message detailing the requirements for being seen after-hours and left a message requesting a call back. The message is very clear, if you leave a request on the emergency line there is an after-hours consultant fee if you're not seen as an emergency. Now 30 days or more later, after giving them time from my personal life & professional recommendation, they don't feel compensation is necessary...

Before you think to yourself, 'it is part of doing business, things come up or she signed on for this, what'd she expect?'. Stop for a minute and think of how YOU feel when someone else has no regard for the time you've given them? You feel disrespected; Makes you resentful. You take measures to protect yourself from repeat occurrences. You decline to give more of something that wasn't appreciated in the first place...

Veterinary professionals are fixers, givers, helpers... and those of us with boots on the ground are exhausted. There aren't enough hours in the day to do all the things needing done, but yet we keep trying... until we can't. Read that again: until we can't.

In my case, the people with outstanding accounts and unwillingness to rectify, are on their way to becoming NO SERVICE. Like no service at all; not if you pay, not if you say you're sorry--just SOL.
Sometimes the way you win a war, is by no longer fighting a battle but instead, walking away...
Not everyone deserves your time.

Google says: 283 days.In school we learned 285. But there are some breed differences. For example, on a whole, Brown Swi...
11/20/2025

Google says: 283 days.
In school we learned 285.
But there are some breed differences.
For example, on a whole, Brown Swiss easily add 10-14 days. Then if a heifer, first timer, add another 10-14 days. So up to another month!

Facts for fun:
Without googling... what's a cow's gestation length?

Hey, just us sisters catching up on our napping... and we've been disturbed to remind you...Our office lines, including ...
11/17/2025

Hey, just us sisters catching up on our napping... and we've been disturbed to remind you...

Our office lines, including boarding are NOT set receive incoming texts. If you need assistance, please call.
Email is checked only business hours and with no regularity. We have had several people send email over the last few weeks for different requests. We simply can't spend the time corresponding back & forth, via email about appointment availability, medication refills, etc. Just call--leave a message if we are unavailable & we'll get back with you.

Yes--gastropexy 'Stomach tacking' will not prevent bloating but prevents flipping--gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV).Gas...
11/05/2025

Yes--gastropexy
'Stomach tacking' will not prevent bloating but prevents flipping--gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV).

Gastropexy was first done in 1971 to treat gastric reflux. It was not until 1979 that it was used for treatment and prevention of gastric dilatation volvulus.

We have no idea what actually causes a dog to develop a GDV but there are some known risk factors.
#1 deep chested breeds: Great Danes, German shorthair pointers, Poodles...& yes, Setters.

I've done corrective surgery on a several of the above and...Saint Bernard, Giant mix, Corgi puppy, Labrador...

But it can happen to anybody, I know of it in a: cat, Cocker Spaniel, Golden Retriever...

Trivia (I'm going to try to post cases weekly):Procedure frequently done prophylactically when you're a deep chested bre...
11/04/2025

Trivia (I'm going to try to post cases weekly):

Procedure frequently done prophylactically when you're a deep chested breed.

Answer with commentary posted after 8a tomorrow.

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11138W Tanquay Road
Cooks, MI
49817

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